Inside a Velvet Case
by Lady aracne
Summary: Written in response to the "There it Sat ..." Challenge at NFA. Timothy McGee has an obsession that could prove very dangerous to him. Romantic Drama, and yes it is MCABBY!


**A/N This was written for a Challenge in the NFA Board, Every entry started with the words "There it Sat ..." I hope you like it, and PLEASE review, reviews make me very very happy.**

There it sat … Challenge

Inside a Velvet Case

There it sat, nestled securely inside a battered velvet box, innocently waiting for someone, for anyone, to take it home; there was something about it, just… something. He couldn't put his finger on what it was, but it was becoming an obsession for him.

The cluttered antique shop was on the way from NCIS to where he usually bought his lunch, and every time he would stop and stare at the ragged-looking box and its contents, always mixed with a very strange array of odd things displayed on the front window of _Vintage Treasures From Yesterday_. It would just be a few seconds at first, but as time went by, the seconds turned into minutes, and the minutes would have surely turned into hours if he had been able to manage it.

The thing that attracted him the most was the myriad of stories he could imagine just looking at the antique ring that lived inside the velvet case. It was made of silver, at least that's what he thought it looked like, but not shinning silver, it was blackened, a delicate and intricate lace of black silver, if there was such a thing as black silver.

A series of tiny blood red rubies shaped like tears were symmetrically-placed around the ring, masterfully woven into the silver lace, which made the ring look like a tiny delicate crown.

As the days went by, he noticed the display on the window changed from week to week, but the velvet box remained in the same place. Not once was it moved; it just sat there, in waiting.

Once he thought about entering the shop and buying it, but he couldn't do it. As much as he felt drawn to possess it, he had no reason to.

It would be unfair if he bought it: the ring and its velvet box would just travel from the display window to a drawer in his writing desk. This was because whatever had existed between him and the princess of darkness was long dead, not for him, but surely for her.

He took comfort on imagining another Goth bride extending a ghostly but perfectly-sculptured hand, while her groom placed the ring which would bind them together, forever, on her trembling finger, because it certainly wasn't an engagement ring. It was a wedding band, destined to be an eternal symbol of love. At least, that was what he thought every time his eyes fell upon the vintage object inside the velvet box.

It was a good thing no one could read his thoughts. They made him feel pathetic sometimes, but other times, they fueled the birth of a new kind of books to write, stories that would take place in an era long gone, an era of drama and romance enveloped in fantasy and obscurity.

With one last look, he walked away as he did every time he passed by the antique shop.

Inside the store, however, his behavior had not gone unnoticed to the old man who owned the place, or to his young assistant.

"There he goes again, Mr. Sellers. I swear one of this days I am going to drag him in here and force him to take the damn ring!"

"Ah, Richard, don't be so quick to judge. You are still very young, my boy. That man is clearly hurting, unrequited love, no doubt" Jason Sellers said in a deep but kind voice.

"Un-what love?" asked his 17-year-old assistant Richard Carson, looking puzzled.

"He loves someone that does not return his affections. I am sure of it."

"But Sir, that ring is not what you would call traditional. It looks perfect for a vampire or something like that, and he certainly doesn't look the type." Richard said taking the small box from the display, eyeing intently the treasure inside.

"Which type is that?"

"That man works around here that much I can tell. He dresses well, but he is very traditional in everything he wears, from the shoes to the ties. Can you imagine him with someone that would wear this ring?"

"You would be surprised, Richard. Love has no fashion code, remember that." Mr. Sellers said taking the box from Richard's hands. "This ring will remain in its place until I say otherwise, understood?"

"Yes sir, but …"

"Blame my old age, Richard, but I have taken a liking for the young man; he has honest eyes and that tells me he owns a good heart, a heart that is hurting, and if looking at the ring makes him feel a little better, so be it." He finished replacing the ring on its place behind the window.

"It's not that I don't like him, boss. It's that, well, the store is not exactly thriving and people have asked about buying that ring, more than once."

"You don't need to worry, Richard; this store is my hobby, and I do love antiques; but I can assure you, young man, that I don't need to sell the ring, or anything else for that matter, to keep us afloat." Jason Sellers said, a huge smile on his face.

Richard smiled to his boss; he loved and respected the old man, even if he was a bit eccentric for his taste. Without another word he turned to tend to the first costumer of the afternoon.

_**One week later**_

It was again Tim's turn to buy lunch for the team. His long steps carried him along the familiar street, but today something felt amiss. Alarms erupted inside his brain when, from the distance, he saw a car parked in front of his favorite shop. Two apparently young men, one tall and large the other short and slim, came out from the car and entered the shop, the thin one tucked something behind his back before walking inside.

He reached for his gun, finding his holster empty; he had left his weapon locked inside his desk drawer!

Without a second thought, Tim ran rather than walked to the antiques shop. A quick look through the window showed him an old man and a 

teenager being held at gun point by one of the crooks while the other one raided the cash register. He called for back up on his cell phone, but he realized soon that he couldn't wait for it to arrive, in a matter of seconds things went from bad to worse.

The young man holding the gun, barely older than the one being held, became furious when the bigger one showed him the contents of the register. He pointed to the youngster's head and started shouting threats. The old man pushed the boy to the floor, making the gunman even angrier; he yelled something and then directed the barrel towards Jason Sellers head instead.

Tim came running through the opened door and jumped the armed man making them both crash against the wooden counter. The second assailant joined in the mass of arms and legs rolling on the floor.

The agent kept trying to get a hold on the gun, while he yelled to Jason Sellers and Richard to get themselves out of harm's way at the same time. There were voices coming from out side the shop; the second robber, who was quite a large man, managed to tear Tim away from his partner throwing him against a wall filled with crystal figurines that came crashing down all around McGee with a shattering noise, which gave time to the gun owner to stand.

He looked murderously at Tim, and pointing his weapon towards the young agent, he fired without hesitation two times, saying in a voice full of fury.

"You ruined everything!" He then vaulted out of the shop followed by his accomplice.

Tim eyes went wide with pain and shock, he tried to scream, but only a gurgling sound came from his mouth. Then, he slowly slide down the wall, his shirt covered in crimson blood.

Jason Sellers and Richard ran to his side. The old man kneeled next to him, supporting his head, and Richard started yelling for help while he looked for something to stop the blood oozing from his chest.

"Stay with me young man, hold on!" Mr. Sellers said over and over again, trying to keep Tim from losing consciousness.

Not five minutes passed when through the door a series of people came rushing in.

"Probie!" "McGee!" screamed Tony and Ziva in unison, as they crossed the floor, their guns drawn. They hurriedly put them away in an effort to reach their friend, but right behind them three paramedics hurried in, pushing everyone aside .

In a few minutes, it was all over. The two robbers were being held in custody by several very angry agents. The ambulance left with Tim McGee on board, more dead than alive, and two very scared victims were interrogated by the NCIS team.

About three hours later Jason Sellers and Richard Carson were the only ones left at the now scene of the crime. At last they could look around them; the shop was like a war zone, everything seemed to be shattered, broken or misplaced, a pool of blood marked the place where Tim had gone down.

Both having been checked over by a second group of paramedics, they were pronounced unharmed; Richard however was still shaking like a leaf.

"Its okay, Richard; we will fix it," Jason Sellers said to the frightened youngster, placing a comforting hand over his shoulder.

"He saved us sir, and now he… "

"I know, Richard, I know. His name is Timothy McGee; his boss told me when he asked for my statement. The ambulance took him to the naval hospital, I think."

"He is a federal agent, then."

"Yes, my boy, and a brave one at that," Sellers added looking around him. "Richard, help me look for the ring."

They both searched through the remains of the window display. They had been authorized to clean the place up. The robbers had been caught on the scene, and because of that, the shop had been released almost instantly.

After some time, Richard came up triumphant from under the large wooden statue of some Egyptian god.

"Here it is, Mr. Sellers!" he said excitedly, holding the small box in his hand.

"Thank heaven. I thought it was lost," the kind man said helping his assistant up.

"Richard, I will take you home and then I am going to the hospital."

"Will you call me?"

"Of course, now let's go, kid."

Not caring about leaving the shop alone, Jason left Richard at his house and then proceeded to Bethesda.

He found the correct floor in no time; there were many distraught looking men and women sitting on every available chair or couch inside the waiting room.

Jason clutched the velvet box closer to his heart while he walked around looking for Agent Gibbs or one of the other two agents he had met after the shooting; he couldn't find any of them. It was right then when he saw a solitary figure sitting on a stool next to the emergency room sliding crystal doors.

She was a very beautiful young woman, dressed all in black, her top covered with tiny red skulls, her slender neck adorned with a red leather choker, and her raven hair tied up into two long pigtails. He could see her face was paler than marble and her incredible amber green eyes were red and puffy from crying. Her face sported black trail lines where her mascara had run down.

"She is the one!" Sellers said out loud, looking tenderly at the Goth; without hesitation he walked right towards her, the box still in his hand.

"Are you a friend of Timothy's?" He asked softly.

Abby turned around fixing her pain-stricken eyes on Jason Sellers kind blue ones.

"Yes I am. Do you know him?" she asked in a whisper standing up from her seat.

"He saved the life of my employee and my own today; he is a hero in my book." She half smiled at his words. "You know if he is going to be alright, Miss?"

"Abby, my name is Abby and no, no one is telling me anything. Gibbs won't let me inside; Tony and Ziva are with him and Ducky and…" She was speaking very fast, her voice breaking with each word. Jason felt his heart drawn to the young woman before him.

"You know, I am sure he is going to be fine; he still has something very important to do."

Abby stopped talking and looked at him, puzzled.

"Something important to do?" she asked, intrigued.

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"Oh no, we haven't being together for about three years now. We're friends and colleagues, nothing more." Abby said, but Mr. Sellers could see in her eyes, that those words were a well-rehearsed phrase.

"I think he is still in love with you, you know?"

"How do you know? He told you that?" Abby muttered, paling even more.

"Come on, let's sit down. I think I just saw a couple of empty chairs over there." Jason guided Abby towards a couple of now-vacant hospital chairs.

"I have never spoke to Timothy before today, but I have seen him looking at this for many months. I am sure he wanted to buy it for you, but he never got to it," he said showing Abby the very-battered velvet box.

"Open it, Abby," Jason said, placing the small object in her trembling hands.

"Oh! Timmy!" A fresh wave of tears fell from her eyes the moment she opened the velvet case. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

"I have no idea about your life or his, Abby, but I have seen him hurting, and every time he set eyes on this ring, his face fell. I don't mean to cause you any more pain, child, but I can see you are hurting, too. I am old; I can 

tell you regard Timothy as more than a colleague," Jason Sellers said, taking her hands in his.

"There may come a time when listening to whatever you are hiding inside your heart could make the difference between life and death," he added closing her hands around the box with his. "Keep this for Timothy; it is a present for him, alright?"

Abby nodded, she couldn't bring herself to talk anymore. So many things were twirling inside her heart, and she felt like she was suffocating, as if her lungs were starving for air and her heart struggled to beat inside her chest. She turned to look at the kind old man Tim had saved that morning, her eyes wide with pain. She wanted to scream for someone to tell her McGee was going to be alright, that she would be able to talk to him again.

"Abby, are you alright, child?" Sellers asked a bit worried. Abby looked on the verge of collapsing or becoming hysterical, he wasn't sure which exactly.

"I need to see him, I need to …" She screeched, wrapping Jason Sellers in a strong hug and he hugged her back while she dissolved into anguished sobs.

A few moments later the emergency room doors slide open, Gibbs flanked by Tony and Ziva returned into the waiting room looking for Abby; they all had heard her screaming.

"Abby, come here, you are strangling Mr. Sellers," Gibbs said, gently prying her arms from around Jason Sellers' neck. Tony instantly moved to replace the old man's arms in hugging Abby. Ziva stood next to him gently rubbing circles on the Goth's back.

"Agent Gibbs, how is Timothy doing?"

"Not well, Mr. Sellers, he is out of surgery, but he is critical. The doctors say… he may not survive the night." His voice was hollow.

"Oh my God, no, please no!" Abby said letting go of Tony and turning to face Gibbs and Jason Sellers.

"Let me see him, Gibbs, I beg you," Abby said with pleading eyes.

"That is not for me to decide, Abs." Gibbs answered softly.

"Then find someone who can let me see him!" Abby said, her voice firm. "I promise I will not get hysterical or try to hug him to death, Gibbs. I just need to let him know I care."

"Ducky is taking care of that right now, Abby. McGee is being transferred to the ICU ward as we speak. Be patient a little longer." Gibbs kissed her softly on the head and he walked away towards an automatic coffee machine.

It felt like an eternity for everyone, but only half an hour had elapsed before Ducky entered the waiting room. No one moved or made a sound; they just waited for the good ME to explain.

Gibbs nodded to Ducky taking sips from his paper coffee cup.

"Timothy is now in the ICU. I will not lie to you: things do not look good at this point but we can never lose hope. His biggest problem right now is the high risk of infection. One of the bullets got his intestines and you can imagine the results. The second bullet grazed one of his lungs, causing an hemothorax, meaning he was drowning with his own blood. They have repaired everything they can; now, it's up to Timothy's strength and will to live."

"Probie is tough; he'll make it!" Tony said, making Abby and Mr. Sellers jump.

"Of course he will," Ziva added with total confidence. Gibbs nodded again; he was too overwhelmed .

"Can we see him Ducky?" Abby said in a very low voice.

"Dr. Oliver, his main physician, told me you may enter, just one at the time and only for a few minutes. He is still under very heavy sedatives so he certainly won't know you are there," Ducky said.

Jason Sellers stood and turned to face Gibbs and Abby.

"Would you let me see him, only for a minute?"

Gibbs looked towards Abby and she nodded with a smile.

"Go right ahead, Mr. Sellers; his room is 369," Ducky said kindly.

Jason Sellers knew he was intruding in the NCIS team's grief, but he really wanted to thank the young man who had saved him.

He entered room 369. Timothy McGee was buried somewhere under a vast amount of tubes and cables, which were attached to several mechanical devices that blinked, blipped or whooshed, helping him to stay alive.

He sat in the only chair inside the room.

"I just wanted to thank you Timothy. You saved my life and Richard's, too."

There was, of course, no answer from Tim. Even if he had been awake, the plastic tube connecting him to a respirator would have prevented him from doing so.

"I met your Abby. Yes, I am sure she is the one you are in love with. That ring would fit no one else around you. Let me tell you a secret, Timothy: the ring has quite an interesting story, but… I am not going to tell it to you, my boy. You will have to get better so you can hear it. Fight, young man; you can do it," he ended, a few tears glistening on the corner of his kind blue eyes.

Then it was Abby's turn. She kept her promise and remained incredibly calm, even as the sight of Tim hooked to every machine known to man made her heart ache.

"Timmy, I know you can hear me. Even if Duck man says you can't, I just know. You have to get better; you have to. We need to talk; I didn't realize I was hurting you so much.

"I have been thinking a lot about my awful relationship record, and this has nothing to do with what went on today Timmy, I swear! I realized why I keep going out with all sort of strange men: I am afraid, terribly afraid of commitment. But you Timmy, you are different and I care for you, a lot more than I am willing to admit, even to myself. I don't want to lose you! Can we try again? Don't leave me, please!" Abby said, taking his hand from under the light sheet covering his lower body. She squeezed his fingers very lightly, letting tears run down her beautiful face. "I have to go now, Tim, but 

I'll be right outside. I won't leave; that's a promise." She stood up from the rather uncomfortable chair and kissed his forehead before starting to leave.

A strangled moan made her jump back in fright.

Tim was moving; he wasn't supposed to be moving.

"Timmy, don't move! I am calling for help." Abby reached for the call button and in five seconds she was shoved out of the room.

The whole team plus Ducky remained standing outside Tim's room. Abby was as pale as a ghost, grabbing Gibbs' arm with all her might.

Dr. Mark Oliver stepped out of the room fifteen agonizing minutes later, to be confronted by five alarmed faces.

"Agent McGee is still with us," He said calmly, looking around as they all breath in relief.

"Timothy is fighting for his life, no doubt about that. I am amazed, he is actually breathing on his own now. I wouldn't think that was possible due to the condition of his lung, but he started fighting the respirator so strongly that it was a risk to leave it in."

"He is better, then?" Abby asked hopefull.

"Let us say that his odds are improving. He is not out of danger at all. His wounds were very serious, but things are looking a bit better, yes."

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!!" Abby yelled, trapping the startled doctor into a bone crushing hug; he patted her back awkwardly, not knowing what else to do. The team broke into collective laughter, a much-needed tension reliever for all of them.

_**Three Months Later **_

Jason Sellers smiled widely as Timothy McGee entered his store hand in hand with Abby Sciuto.

"So… what was the verdict Timothy?" He asked.

During the months following the shooting Jason Sellers and Richard had become friends with the NCIS team.

"I've been cleared at last! I'll be returning to the field on Monday!" Tim answered almost jumping with happiness. Abby grinned, turning to look at Richard.

"Hey, Ricky!" Richard blushed scarlet, ever since he had met Abby at the hospital. He had been smitten with her, much to Tim's and Sellers amusement , not to mention Tony's , who in fact had made a point to teasing the young boy about it at every available opportunity.

"Oh he..llo Abby," he mumbled.

"We are going to celebrate Timmy's return to active duty, tomorrow at headquarters; we would love you both to come," Abby said happily.

"I was thinking, Mr. Sellers that maybe this could be a great opportunity for you to tell us the story?" Tim asked, placing his arms around Abby's waist. She reclined on him.

After the shooting, Tim had spent two weeks fighting for his life; Abby had not left his side for a moment during that time. When he had been finally declared out of danger, they had talked. They were giving their relationship another chance. That day, Tim had placed the vintage ring on her finger. It was still there.

"What story, Timothy?" Sellers asked intrigued. He was a good story teller; in fact, Ducky and he had spent many delightful afternoons having tea and telling stories to anyone who would listen.

Tim grinned taking Abby's hand and showing it to Jason.

"The ring's story, Mr. Sellers; you promised me in the hospital."

"OMG, you actually remember that, Timothy? I thought you were unconscious at the time." Jason answered his eyes going wide.

"I think I was kind of comatose, but I remember hearing your voice. It was like a beam pulling me back to the land of the living, and then Abby started talking and I knew I had to fight."

"And we are all very glad you did Timothy, you scared us more than once, my boy."

"Ohhhh, don't remind me!" Abby said shuddering in Tim's embrace, he tighten his hold of her, kissing the top of her head at the same time.

"Very well, I shall tell you the story of the ring, it's quite an interesting one, you know?"

Tim, Abby and Richard looked intently at the kind old man. He sat on a stool behind the counter and began to talk in a clear and deep voice.

"It all began many centuries ago when …."

The End!

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